Monday...It's a new day, it's a new week

Hi kids!

So, if you've been struggling a little on this trek we lovingly call our "weight loss journey," listen up: it's never too late to start, and it's always too soon to quit. Isn't that a great saying??

So, the kids are home now. Vacations are coming up. The pool (and the concession stand) is now open and will be frequented often. Summer baseball is in full swing (get the pun?!). Picnics and barbecues are happening every weekend. Festivals and carnivals are EVERYWHERE! In the midst of all of that, crises still pop up, family members become ill, spouses lose their jobs, cars need expensive repairs, kids get into trouble. Do you know what all of this combined is called? LIFE. So...let's find a way to be successful while managing this thing called LIFE.

1. Get out of the black and white thinking. You don't have to always be "good." You can be "okay" sometimes. Being 100% on target, every minute of every hour of every day will definitely guarantee success--that success, though, will be successful placement in a loony bin. So...practice moderation, not perfection.

2. Make a plan, and stick to it. If you're going to the pool and love the hot dogs or ice cream or candy or french fries, then find a way to periodically fit your favorite thing into your day. I am tired of hearing, "But it's so HARD when I see everyone else eating what they want." Here are some words to commit to memory: build a bridge, get over it, and move it along (these words are stolen from an anti-bullying program, but I loved them the minute I heard them). That's what THEY do. What do YOU do? Plan it, live it, enjoy success. It's that simple.

3. Do you want to lose weight? What are you willing to do in order to make that happen? "I want to lose weight, but I want to have french fries at the pool every day." Okay, then, you need to accept that your weight loss will not be as good as it could be if you chose to have the french fries once a week instead. Don't whine that the program doesn't work if you're not doing the program. Unless 35 points cover 7 days worth of french fries, then you're creating your own rules. Harsh words, indeed, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the truth.

4. Why are things not working for you right now? What things are getting in your way of making self-supporting choices? What can you change/alter? Do you REALLY need to take the kids to the pool every day? Why not set up a slip and slide in your back yard (plastic, dish detergent, water, hose = great fun!). AND...you'll have complete control over your personal "concession stand."

5. Why do you keep sabatoging yourself? Why are other people's needs more important than yours 99% of the time? How can you begin to convince yourself that you deserve to be taken care of, just as much as you take care of everyone else? You really need to answer these questions before you find a resolution; otherwise, you'll just keep going back to the "same old, same old."

6. Before you go to bed each nite, identify one thing that you did that day that supported your efforts to lose weight, and write it down--keep a journal. The thing you write down doesn't have to be life altering, people--I had 1 burger instead of 2, I didn't lick the beaters when baking cupcakes, I drank a glass of water when making dinner. Let's focus on what we do right instead of all the things that we do wrong, okay? Positive self talk....

The most important thing on this journey is convincing yourself that you are worth the effort it takes to lose weight and believing that you are worthy of achieving a healthy goal weight. You really need to believe in your dreams, in your capabilities, and in your ability to navigate and overcome daily struggles. Eliminate "it's too hard right now" from your dialogue. Period. How about "It's hard right now, but a freaking candy bar isn't going to make it any easier." You'll then see how different this journey will become.

Have a GREAT week--see you in the meeting room!

Mary Ann